What if we told you there was a way to protect your loved ones and yourself by turning your home into a smart one? 🤔
Of course, you already know that there is, which is how you landed here in the first place, right? It means that you already know about Ring Doorbell.
Well, for those who don’t know, Ring Doorbell is one of the leading companies for smart home products. We will dive into the brand’s features soon enough for the sole purpose of comparing it to the available Ring Doorbell alternatives.
It is incredibly important to take into account the importance of home safety. It is not just a home that you protect in doing so, but also yourself and all the members of your family – your loved ones who live with you in that home.
Imagine that you have to go out of town on a business trip for a few days but are worried about the safety of your home.
All it takes is to buy a certain device and download the app that supplements it, to be able to rid yourself of those fears -but how? Of course, by having access to a live view of the security system, we will talk about it now.
Features of Ring Doorbell:-
Ring Doorbell is a brand that focuses on home safety. While the name suggests that it is a doorbell, it is much more. Read on to understand the various features of Ring Doorbell, and read thoroughly so that you can compare and contrast them well with its alternatives.
The HD Camera
Ring Doorbell’s HD camera serves the purpose of allowing you to see every person that turns up at your doorstep, full, with night vision to enable the same for the daytime as well as night.
Motion Detection ability
Ring Doorbell has the provision for detecting any motion made around your home. This makes for the penultimate provision of home safety, allowing you to sense unwanted visitors before seeing them.
Ring Doorbell App
Ring Doorbell comes with the Ring Doorbell app, which has several useful features to ensure maximum safety in comparison to alternative app for ring doorbell.
Two-way audio
The Ring Doorbell app allows for a two-way audio system, sort of like a phone call. The visitor can speak through the Doorbell, and you can respond using your app.
Mobile Access
The mobile access feature is another feature of the app which allows you to have remote access to your Doorbell from wherever you are.
What Is the Need for A Ring Doorbell Alternative?
Other brands offer several features for a similar product, which we can say are better in technical terms.
Just like how the little things in life make up the more significant events, the same can be said about home safety products. How is that, you may ask?
Certain minor features lead to the finality of a product, which can either make or break it. Several Ring Doorbell alternatives have minor features that you may overlook, but they account for a significant part of the product experience.
We will further elaborate on these as you read about our top selections for Ring Doorbell alternatives. Don’t worry; you’ll understand what we mean in no time.
Best Ring Doorbell Alternatives: Our Top Pick 👌
1. Eufy Security Wireless Video Doorbell – Ring doorbell alternatives For privacy
Here is a Ring Doorbell alternative, which is easily priced and has some outstanding features. Its features include a high-definition camera with additional features, human body detection, recording facilities, easier communication between visitors and you, and much more.
Here are some of the pros and cons of the Eufy video doorbell.
Pros:-
1. The image displayed to you is a 2K quality image with a 2560 x 1920 resolution, which makes for exceptional visuals. Aside from this, the Eufy doorbell is also integrated with an advanced HDR and distortion correction feature to make the picture quality even better.
2. Aside from the quality of the visual, the Eufy camera size is 4:3 instead of the usual 16:9 – this means you not only get a wide image but also a higher one.
3. Human detection: this is an important feature that stands out from other Ring Doorbell alternatives because the motion detector checks body structure to ensure that it is a human and not something else (like a stray animal). It detects if they ring the doorbell and if they don’t.
4. You can connect your Eufy doorbell to any digital assistant, such as Alexa, Google Assistant, etc.
5. Eufy has super-fast boot time.
6. The app has some great features, including a snapshot of the visitor taken by the camera in the notification that the app sends you.
7. Overall a simple tool with a simple set-up process, excellent features, a good, sleek look, and a great price.
Cons:-
1. The app does not indicate whether the recorded image is for someone who rang the doorbell or was only detected via the motion detector.
2. HDR mode is suitable for videos but not for capturing a photo.
2. Skybell HD WiFi Doorbell Camera
SkyBell is a great Ring Doorbell alternative, offering similar features at great prices. With SkyBell, you can have conversations back and forth with your visitor without even having to open the door – great for introverts, you could say! Here are some of the pros and cons of SkyBell.
Pros:-
- This device has an on-demand video, meaning that you can see whoever is at the door when they ring the bell – this is the cause of the existence of video doorbells.
- The video quality of the SkyBell doorbell is 1080p, and the camera is also integrated with night vision in case of low lighting.
- Through the SkyBell doorbell, you can converse back and forth with whoever is at the door without having to open it, as mentioned before.
- SkyBell comes in two different colors – either the Oil Rubbed Bronze finish or the silver-ish Brushed Aluminum finish.
- SkyBell has easy motion detection, and you can set it up such that the lights on your porch will come on when the device detects any motion.
- If you already have a wired doorbell, you will have no trouble installing SkyBell.
Cons:-
- The video quality is quite less in comparison with alternative devices.
- You cannot use this device without an active subscription to Alarm.com.
- If you do not have a pre-existing wired doorbell connection, installation can be quite a task.
3. August Home AB-R1 Silver August Doorbell Camera
Here is a doorbell with some striking features, including its multifaceted app, where the developers have thought of the little things that matter to their customer base. Here are some of the pros and cons, including the features of the August doorbell.
Pros:-
- The August doorbell is integrated with Amazon Alexa, which you can use to turn on and off your porch lights, switch the doorbell camera on and off, etc.
- It uses wi-fi and the cloud to store recordings of people who have rung your doorbell, come and gone, so you can access the same anytime.
- Two-way audio, one-way video: this means that you can have back-and-forth conversations with your visitors, all the while, you can see them, but they can’t see you.
- The app: a convenient app to accompany the device with several smart features.
- Smart lock:- using the app, you never have to worry about whether or not you locked the door. The smart lock feature on the app allows you to check if the door of your home is locked or unlocked from wherever you are.
- Recordings are saved on the app to see if you missed any visitors while you weren’t home.
- The app instantly alerts you when someone rings the bell.
- August is cheaper than most other Ring Doorbell alternatives.
Cons:-
- The app is subscription-based after the first free month.
- Relatively low camera quality.
4. Arlo Pro 3 Video Doorbell
Arlo is one of the best brands in the video doorbell supply service. With some of the coolest features that set it apart from so many others, Arlo is a fantastic Ring Doorbell alternative.
Pros:-
- Arlo has one of the widest cameras out of the video doorbell alternatives, with a 180-degree viewing angle.
- The two-way audio system enabled you to speak directly with your visitor.
- The high-definition camera has a resolution of 1536 x 1536, which is one of the highest resolutions of a doorbell camera.
- The Arlo doorbell is weather resistant in terms of heat, cold, rain, and sun.
- An inbuilt siren: here’s an unexpected doorbell security tool that you can use to ward off unwanted people, whether a scary-looking stranger or even an ex!
- Local storage on the Arlo base station or the Smart Hub, where you can look at all your recorded images and videos of people coming and going from your house.
- Integration with Amazon Alexa lets you find out who is at your front door using any Alexa device.
Cons:-
- Subscription-based system for viewing recordings and accessing other Arlo features.
- Customer support is weak and unable to provide adequate help when required.
- A wired system, thus you will have some trouble with this product if you do not have an existing wiring system installed.
5. SimpliSafe Pro
SimpliSafe Pro is a fantastic device and a brilliant Ring Doorbell alternative, owing to its multiple sensors, alert system, and camera features.
It is wholly dedicated to the safety of you and everyone in your home. Here are some of the pros and cons of SimpliSafe Pro.
Pros:-
- SimpliSafe sends you text alerts when the motion sensors detect any activity, and someone rings the doorbell.
- The device begins to create a recording, full with a timestamp when someone rings the doorbell or even directly when it detects motion.
- You can pan and zoom in and out on the video even while it’s recording.
- The multiple sensors feature of the motion detector allows it to detect only people and not any other distracting things, such as stray animals, pets, cars, etc.
- With a 162-degree field of view, infrared night vision, and HDR imaging, this device has some fantastic camera features.
Cons:-
- SimpliSafe is subscription-based; thus, you must pay a monthly subscription fee to use their services.
- 1080p camera resolution, which is relatively less compared to other cameras.
6. Maximus Answer DualCam Video Doorbell
Maximus is a sleek-looking, stylish Ring Doorbell alternative with a glossy black, matte grey design and an LED light around the bell. It is a delight to look at, even more so with its features.
Maximus takes into account what a lot of competitors may forget – packages are left on the floor when the door goes unanswered. Thus, while a camera may be wide, it can miss out on what’s kept on the floor.
With its dual camera feature, Maximus takes care of this very aspect of not only the wide but also the long-angle view.
Here are a few pros and cons of the Maximum DualCam doorbell.
Pros:-
- As the name suggests, maximum has a dual camera, with one on the top of 1080p and one on its bottom of 720p, integrated into one screen. This provides a maximum field of view, and you can see far wide who is even near your house.
- The camera has HDR integrated to provide the best view of whoever is outside your house.
- The motion sensor is designed to detect any people that come to your home and any cars that turn into your driveway.
- Using Maximus, you can create pre-recorded messages that will play for visitors when you aren’t home.
Cons:-
- The vehicle detector can be annoying, especially if you live on a busy street where the front door looks directly onto the street.
- Complaints about lagging in transmitting images from the device to the screen where to view.
7. Lorex 1080p Video Doorbell Security Camera
Lorex is a fantastic Ring Doorbell alternative with a sleek look and the basic features of a video doorbell.
It connects to the app that comes with it and allows you a wholesome experience with your visitors, even if you don’t physically see them at your doorstep.
Pros:-
- Lorex has ultra-wide coverage with a 160-degree field of view and 1080p camera resolution.
- It is integrated with infrared LEDs to provide clear night vision up to a tried and tested distance of 33 feet from the camera.
- Lorex home app: this app is available for both Android and iOS, and it is easy to navigate. You must scan the QR code on the device to connect the app to the device.
- Local storage: the product comes with a built-in micro SD card of 16 GB and ample space for storing your recordings and images from the doorbell device.
- It is a weatherproof device and is thus durable in paces with extreme weather conditions as well.
- No monthly or subscription fee is required due to the local storage facility on the device itself.
- When the motion sensor detects movement, you will immediately get a notification from the app, and the camera will instantly start recording.
Cons:-
- Without a pre-existing doorbell wiring connection, installation can get messy and confusing.
- You cannot access the memory card once the doorbell is installed; thus, to delete something, you have to reinstall the device all over again.
- The device rewrites the memory card if the storage space runs out.
8. Ring Peephole Cam
Here’s a Ring Doorbell alternative brought to you by the same company – the Ring Peephole Cam. It works just like the peepholes we have in our doors at home, but with a couple of additional technological features. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?
To see who’s at the door, you can look through the peephole, with the additional benefit that you can record what you see.
Of course, since we live in the digital age, you can also see the same on the app that comes with the cam. Here are the several pros and a few cons of the Ring Peephole Cam.
Pros:-
- You can get alerts on your phone, tablet, and even your PC whenever someone knocks on your door, presses the doorbell button, or triggers the motion sensors.
- You can speak to your visitors one-on-one using the 2-way audio system no matter where you are, using the app to do so.
- The Ring Peephole is connectible with Alexa to hear announcements on your Amazon Echo device when your doorbell is pressed. Using Alexa, you can even talk to visitors and get a live view of the camera.
- You can easily adjust the motion sensors according to what you wish the advanced motion sensors to detect.
- The easy installation process
- requires less than 5 minutes of your time and no wiring either.
Cons:-
- Subscription-based service for saving recordings made by the camera, i.e., the Ring Protect Plan.
- Even with the subscription, recordings only remain saved for up to 60 days.
At the time of our research on Best Ring Doorbell Alternatives, we found a video about “12 Ways to Protect Your Home While You’re Away,” which is worth watching.
9. RemoBell S WiFi Video Doorbell Camera with HD Video
In terms of features, RemoBell S is more similar to the Arlo doorbell model than Ring Doorbell. Taking this into account, it is quite safe to say that RemoBell is one of the top contenders regarding Ring Doorbell alternatives.
Factoring in its features, it is reasonably clear that the price at which RemoBell S comes is an absolute steal! Let’s review the pros and cons to understand why we say this.
Pros:-
- RemoBell S is compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and IFTTT. It is one of the only products compatible with ALL three.
- The camera has a viewing angle of 180 degrees, which is once again one of the only models of the video doorbell to have such a wide-angle view.
- Other features of the camera include a whopping 1536 x 1536 high definition resolution, infrared night vision, and an available dewarping facility.
- You can use the app to speak with your visitors even when you aren’t home. This app is available for your smartphone and tablet with iOS 11 or higher and Android 5 or higher.
- No subscription is required to access any of these services, meaning a one-time purchase is all you require for an all-access experience.
- On-demand Livestream: you need not wait for the motion detector to work or for someone to ring the doorbell; you can turn on the camera when you wish to.
Cons:-
- Complaints about the motion detector being overly sensitive even to slight movements are unnoteworthy in the sense.
- Unnecessarily, it uses a lot of internet during the setting up process and when it’s in use.
10. XTU Wireless Doorbell Camera
XTU is a great RIng Doorbell alternative, with an outstanding waterproof design and inbuilt SD card as two distinctive features. Here are some of the pros and cons of the XTU Wireless Doorbell Camera.
Pros:-
- As the name suggests, the XTU doorbell camera is completely wireless, and it comes with a rechargeable battery.
- IP65 Waterproof design: this means that the device is dust-tight and resistant to water. It can withstand bad weather easily; thus, it’s a good fit if you live in a city where it rains a lot.
- XTU supports both the cloud and local storage and comes with an SD card with 32 GB of storage space to store all the images and video recordings taken by your doorbell camera. Cloud storage is additionally subscription-based.
- The installation process is straightforward, with the basic steps enumerated within the packaging.
Cons:-
- Subscription-based cloud system as per different numbers of videos and images you’d like to store.
- The XTU supporting app uses up a lot of internets unnecessarily.
What to Consider Before Buying A Video Doorbell
The purpose of buying a video doorbell is pretty clear to us – to ensure maximum safety for ourselves and our family members.
However, certain things to remember when going for a video doorbell relate to the products’ minor technicalities. This includes the following criterion using which you should make a decision.
Something to remember is that most video doorbells are enabled with the basic features, such as:
- Night vision
- Video and image recording which is stored either on the cloud or locally
- Motion detection
- Two-way audio
- Mobile access, etc.
It comes down to the quality of these individual features and the price you are willing to pay for them.
Another feature at which it’s quite necessary to look is whether you think you should get a wired or wireless one.
Wired or Wireless?
As you would have read above, video doorbells come as both wired and wireless. Now, both of these options have their own merits and limitations. You decide what you want and what is most compatible with your home.
However, we are here to help narrow your choices down to a single one. Here are the pros and cons of both wired and wireless video doorbell systems:
Wired Video Doorbells
Wired video doorbell systems run on low-voltage power through the doorbell line of your house.
Benefits
- If you already have a wired doorbell connection in your home, a wired doorbell would have a relatively simple installation process.
- No need to worry about batteries running out since it is directly connected to the electric line.
Downside
- Without a pre-wired doorbell line, installation can become a tedious and complicated process.
Wireless Video Doorbells
Wireless video doorbells run on batteries and are connected either through Wi-fi or via Bluetooth to your remote access device.
Benefits
- Since it is wireless, it is very easy to install – no need to mess around with wires or any other complications.
- Since these run on batteries, you can use rechargeable batteries, which are sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Downside
- The batteries can deplete according to usage. If you predict high usage, your battery life will be quite short, and you will have to keep replacing them regularly.
The Difference between Video Doorbells and Security Cameras
You may have noticed that having a video doorbell might sound similar to having a security camera. While they are similar in their purposes, there are minimal differences.
Both video doorbells and security cameras serve the purpose of watching over who comes and goes from your house. However, video doorbells do a slightly more efficient job of informing you about it.
Video doorbells only turn on when the motion detector senses movement, if the doorbell rings, or even both, as we’ve seen above. Security cameras, on the other hand, are continuously recording.
This means that if you need to find footage of something, you have to go through a lot of footage first, whereas, with the doorbell, you can see what happened when the camera came on. It also means that security cameras require much more storage space than a video doorbell.
Extras to Go with Your Video Doorbell Device
There are several extras that you can buy to go with your Ring Doorbell or your Ring Doorbell alternatives. All gadgets and devices have extra accessories that you can buy to go along with them. Similarly, so do all ring doorbell devices.
The kinds of accessories you can buy are silicon protectors, angle mounts, chimes, and power adaptors. Let’s elaborate a little bit more on these various accessories now.
Silicon protectors:- Some video doorbells may need some extra protection, maybe due to the weather conditions, or maybe you just want to customize your device. Silicon protectors serve the purpose of protecting your device from harm and well as personalizing it to your liking.
Angle mounts:- The video doorbells generally come as stationary objects that cannot see past their fields of view. Angle mounts are supplements for your device, where you can insert them, and then they can move around the way you see CCTV cameras move.
Chimes:- A chime is a sound that a doorbell makes – the “ding dong” of a doorbell. You can buy chimes separately, while some of these doorbells come with chimes in the package. They also have customizable ringtones, depending on which chime you select.
Power adaptors:- It can be quite annoying to keep having to recharge the batteries for your device, and here’s where power adaptors come in.
It makes it a lot simpler to keep the video doorbell plugged into a switch rather than go through the inconvenience of either buying new batteries or recharging old ones.
📗FAQ
What is the best alternative to a Ring doorbell?
Top ring doorbell alternatives include Eufy Video Doorbell 2k dual, Lorex LNWDB1 1080P wifi, Logitech Circle View Doorbell, SimpliSafe Doorbell Pro SS3, Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell, etc.
Is there better cameras than Ring?
You can expect better quality cameras than rings from Arlo. However, Ring offers a better line of products. Both companies make excellent products that last for years to come.
Can the Ring doorbell be hacked?
The Ring system security has consistently raised concerns. However, some issues have been resolved. Since they are not encrypted, there is a high chance that they can be hacked.
Can I use Ring without a subscription?
Ring devices do not require any subscription plan. Even without a subscription, viewing real-time videos for Ring doorbells is possible. You can answer doorbell notifications and keep a check on the security cameras.
Are smart doorbells worth it?
Smart video doorbells can be crucial in detecting potential burglars entering the property. If you are looking forward to getting a video doorbell, go for it.
What is the best doorbell camera to buy?
The top doorbell cameras to buy are Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2, Arlo Essential Wire-free Video Doorbell, Eufy Video Doorbell Dual, RemoBell S, Logitech Circle View Doorbell, Nest Hello, Blink Video Doorbell, etc.
What company is better than Ring?
Ring provides some quality doorbell cameras. However, if you are looking for Ring Doorbell Alternatives – Google Nest and Arlo Video Doorbell can be excellent choices.
Is Blink cheaper than Ring?
Blink is around $25 cheaper than Ring and offers similar video quality. The 110-degree field view is narrower than that of Rings.
How do I sneak past the doorbell Ring?
You need to open the Ring app and select the Ring doorbell option. Toggle on the ‘motion alerts’ option. You will get a notification whenever someone passes by or walks in front of your door.
How do you keep a Ring doorbell from being stolen?
Do not ignore any notifications and get a mesh or a grid box. Attach the doorbell to a rendering or brickwork. Attach a sign and use a hard protective case. Do not forget to keep your eyes on them.
In Conclusion.
We have taken a look at various things today that are pertinent to video doorbells. To find Ring Doorbell alternatives, it was first essential to look at the features of ring video doorbell. We then looked at the need for a video doorbell in the first place.
Come next was a list of our top picks for the best Ring Doorbell alternatives. It is also essential that we look at the necessary things to consider when buying a video doorbell, understand the difference between security cameras and video doorbells, and also the various accessories one can get with these doorbells.
We hope that our guide to video doorbells has helped you select the best Ring Doorbell alternative for the safety and protection of your family and home. We have listed all the features, pros, and cons of each listed Ring Doorbell alternative in a manner that was hopefully comprehensive for you.
May you make the best choice for your home safety!
